Rohit Is Still 70 Per Cent Fit... Ask Him!

The Sourav Ganguly era in Indian cricket administration has seen some pathbreaking decisions being taken. Just like the captain he was, Ganguly is leading the BCCI from the front, being the body’s voice and chief decision-maker. But he is also facing a myriad of issues.

Neeru Bhatia

With the 2020 Indian Premier League running successfully, Ganguly pushed for the Women's T20 Challenge matches to happen alongside it, even though IPL chairman Brijesh Patel expressed reservations. The four matches took place, but the perceived lack of effort to ensure the Indian women get game time has raised questions on how serious the BCCI is about women's cricket. The women’s demand for a one-point person—preferably a woman in the BCCI—to go to with their issues is still pending. With the BCCI operating with an interim CEO and Saba Karim, general manager, cricket operations, set to serve out his notice period soon, Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah will have to ensure that dayto-day management is back in the hands of professionals and that key reforms of the Lodha Committee are not ignored.

Ganguly's appearances in various advertisements while holding office has also raised concerns about conflict of interest. Moreover, Dilip Vengsarkar, former chairman of selectors, told a national daily that by making statements on selection matters, the IPL and player injuries, Ganguly was “undermining the credentials of the national selectors and the IPL chairman”.

Ganguly has dealt with critics in his own way throughout his career. Speaking to THE WEEK from Dubai, the BCCI president took the criticisms on the chin and attempted to clear the air on key issues. Excerpts:

Q/ You must be satisfied with the conduct of IPL 2020. What aspect of it are you most happy about?

A/ Yes, I am very happy to conduct and complete a tournament in these testing times. What has satisfied me is the competitiveness. It has been a great tournament.

Q/ Did you or the BCCI face any challenges going into this season?